This Christmas, forget Santa. There's a mythical creature that's making a big comeback: the Krampus.

Popular in Alpine villages centuries ago, Krampus scared kids straight—his long red tongue upped the fear factor—and taught them that evil bows before good. He served Santa’s forerunner, kindly St. Nicholas, who had “the power to send Krampus back to hell,” says Austrian ethnologist Ulrike Kammerhofer-Aggermann. [...]

But by the 1800s, church leaders had marginalized Krampus. Now he’s enjoying a mini-revival, mainly for the fun of it. The Austrian state of Salzburg alone has 180 Krampus clubs, more than half set up since 1990, says Josef Moser, Jr., chairman of Austria’s Krampus Museum. Revelers roam streets in Krampus garb, rattle bells, and roar. “It feels good!” says Moser.

The Krampus was not gone. At least not in Munich and the rural areas around. He is a normal guest on the 6th of december. He always shows up with his pal St. Nicolaus. St. Nicolaus is the good guy with the presents and the Krampus is the bad guy with the whip and the big bag where he puts the bad children.

I can't confirm this report because in my childhood the Krampus was very present during the 80ies. Munich is just 2hours away from Salzburg.